[setsuna22]

Yulia's eyes opened.
Warrior blood pulsing through her veins. Enough was enough. She was going to protect Lena. She hoped that Lena would forgive her when she found out. The time had come for Yulia Volkova to face Sergi.
Yulia left the apartment early that morning before Lena woke up. Not wanting to explain just then, she had left her a note and given it to Yana who had come over early that morning to be with Lena, who was still too ill to get out of bed. Many people gazed at her as she walked down the street. Who wouldn't? It was summer and Yulia was dressed head to foot in black. Her tall boots clung to her legs under her long flared black jeans, the small tank top hugging her small curves, and her eyes hidden by dark large 60's tortoise style glasses. Her hair wild and still damp from the quick shower she had taken. She approached the school. She was surprised at the ease of finding Sergi, who was in the backseat of his car with a blonde haired bimbo, her skirt pulled up around her waist and her head in Sergi's lap. An almost sinister look crossed her face as she, without hesitation. opened the car door and climbed inside.
“Who the hell are you?” Yulia turned in the seat and drew her glasses off, a deliberate smile crossing her face, a look that made Sergi shudder - It was almost evil. The blonde jerked her head up, watching with nervous eyes, too afraid of the look in Yulia's eyes to say anything to her.
“I’m your worst fucking nightmare.” Yulia said, her words drawn out and pronounced very clear, leaving no room for error in his understanding.
“You ever fucking lay a hand, or even look, on Lena Katina and you will be the one never to be found.” Sergi went red with anger. He jerked forward in his seat but came up short when he looked over Yulia's shoulder and saw four huge men dressed in suits standing behind her, the bulge of a gun holster evident on all four under the expensive suit jackets. Sergi gaped at her.
“Who the fuck are you?” he managed to sputter.
“You chose the wrong person to mess with, when you fuck with the friends of the girl whose uncle runs the Russian Mafia.” She said, her voice so bone chilling cold that Sergi and the blonde turned several shades of white.
“Remember what I said.”
She pushed the glasses back on her face and silently got out of the car, letting it slam shut behind her. The four men followed her as she left the school grounds, getting into the stretch limo. Inside, it was silent for several minutes before one of the men started to laugh.
“Russian Mafia? That was good kid. You got your money’s worth at least.”
Yulia grinned as she handed the man another fifty thousand dollars in a bond check.
“If my parents taught me anything, it's to do things right.”
~Americas' early 1800’s, the “Far West”~
The fringe of the white buckskin dress beat against young Yulia's legs as she walked through the tall grass. Her dark hair lay parted in the middle and braided on either side are long braids tied off with pieces of leather, a beaded headband in blue, white and green beads decorated her forehead.
She was an outcast among her people, the brave and strong nation of Lakota. She was well past the age when most women would be wedded with one or two children. But Yulia, the youngest child and most beloved of her father and his three wives, was not like most women. She didn’t want to marry, she didn't want children but, most of all, she didn't want a man. A shrill war cry filled the air as four horses came charging across the field. Thrown across the front of her brother's lap was a small figure.
A captive.
She followed the horses back to camp and was just walking up to the horses when Yulia's brother pulled the small figure roughly down, throwing her into the dirt. The girl claimed to her feet, and threw back her hair revealing a dirty smudged delicate face, defiantly looking at her brother.
He spat at her feet and the girl said something coldly. Yulia could see that they were not words one would speak unless very angry. Yulia's brother saw Yulia and smiled.
“Look sister, I have brought you a slave.”
A…A WHAT!!” Yulia sputtered as she crossed the space and slapped her brother. Several people gasped, he was the one chosen to be the next chief, and she had publicly spoken down to him.
“I never asked for a slave. “ Yulia said coldly as she stared defiantly at her brother “That is why you will run our tribe into the ground. You never think of others. Your whole life is a whim!” Several murmurs started in the crowd and her brother made no comment but turned on his feet and left. Yulia gently knelt beside the girl, talking to her softly in a language she knows the woman didn't know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lena glanced down at the new clothing she was wearing. It was from the girl that had helped her. The one person who had become her savior. The dress was very immodest and she didn't even have any shoes to wear. The leather felt buttermilk soft against her skin, falling several inches below her knee in layers of fringe. The sleeves were short leaving her bare arms for anyone to look at. In order to hide it somewhat, she had let her long hair out and wore it straight over her shoulders instead of in the braids that the black haired girl had on. She was afraid. She had been torn away from her barn in the middle of the day as she worked, milking the cow and sneaking in to read one of the books she had brought with her from New York when her family had moved. She had been thrown over the horse and her hands tied. She gave an audible shiver. She hated it here and just wanted to go home. The only one who had even been kind to her was the dark haired girl who looked like an Indian princess.
~~~~~~~~~Two months later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“No!” Yulia screamed as she grabbed Lena's arms
“I will not let you go back to that life! You belong here with me!” The dark haired girl said crying. Over the past two months, the two had grown close and had even become lovers. Yulia, who believed in her gods, knew that Lena had been sent to her. She had been alone for so long and now fate was trying to tear the auburn haired woman from where she belonged. Lena was biting her lip, drawing blood.
“If I do not go back, they will come here! They will come here and destroy everything! Our people will die!” Yulia clung to the other girl, letting out a sob and feeling her heart crack inside her body. Yulia knew that she would be unable to live if Lena left her. It was as simple as that. Yulia was so unlike her people; she was emotional and sensitive, and when she had joined with Lena, she had lost her very soul.
“I will come back! I promise you! I will never abandon you!”
Yulia and Lena clung together for several more minutes, Yulia's sobs turning into dry racking tears. She pulled a knife from the strap on her thigh. Before Lena could stop her, she cut through the single long braid she wore that day. The long hair falling to the ground. A sign for Lakota women in mourning, or when sacrificing their beauty for the ones they loved, an offer to the Gods.
“I will not let it grow until you return to me.” Yulia said as Lena, still half in shock, fingered the short hair that framed the young girl's face; oddly it looked beautiful on her.
“I will come back, if I have to run away and leave them and my world behind forever, I will!”
Over the horizon, several mounted men came riding to the edge of the hill, dressed in blue military wear. All looked down with cold hard calculating eyes at the Indian girl. Not caring, Lena drew her arms around Yulia and kissed her soft mouth, her kiss full of promise and love. She drew back from her and pulled away, their two worlds driving them apart as their fingers separated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What are you talking about!”? Lena screamed at her father
“All of them! Every last savage is going to die in the name of God for they took you! The captain promised me!”
Lena ran from the house, rain pouring on her body as she stole a horse, her heart gripped by fear as she rode.